


Captain for Life

by mercurius



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Future Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-07-11 13:38:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7054012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mercurius/pseuds/mercurius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The news breaks that at the close of the 20/21 season, the Montreal Canadians have traded a bunch of picks and a whole lot of money and cap-space for Claude Giroux...and Sidney Crosby.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Trade

**_Philadelphia Flyers trade Captain Claude Giroux to Montreal Canadi-_ **

 

Claude didn’t get to read the rest of the news app update as a flurry of texts pushed it off the screen and his phone began to ring. It was his agent.

 

‘I’m so sorry.’ was the first thing he heard. Claude opened his mouth as his agent started to tell him the details of the trade, how much he was being paid, who the Flyers were getting in return. He only noticed he was numb once his agent hung up having assured him he’d be on his way to Claude’s the second they were done with the conversation.

 

His mind was hammering but he couldn't find an emotional response. Couldn't feel angry or sad or betrayed or anything, they were there just swirling below the surface. It was some sickening mental merry go round of confusion and denial. There were rumours there were always rumours but this...this didn't happen. Not to a Captain. Not to him. You got asked about trades you got to be in the room. You didn't just. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be. 

 

He looked at his phone and saw he had nearly 100 missed calls. In the short window that was available the phone rang again. Holmgren. He swallowed thickly and clicked accept. As they always did when his phone rang Harvey and Charlie took up running around his feet in excitement. He patted them, needing something to do with his hands lest he was overwhelmed with the rising urge to throw his phone across the wall so as not to hear what they had to say. 

 

If he didn't hear them say it then it wasn't true right? Some hoax on NHL.com that everyone had believed - even his agent. 

 

That had to be it. 

 

It had to be. 

 

Holmgren and Hextall were on speaker and his ears filled with apologies and well wishes for his new team. 'The Original 4 Claude!' 'Tough breaks Claude' 'You'll be missed' was said in a myriad of ways over the course of the call - the most hollow of all the platitudes being the ones thanking him for his years of service. Claude thanked them mechanically and hung up as soon as he could.

 

He turned to see Wayne stood in his living room smaller than Claude had ever seen him. His face was so full and Claude could barely look at him. 

 

Wayne opened his mouth and Claude broke.

 

* * *

 

 He dimly registered crumpling into Wayne's arms Charlie and Harvey circling them in excitement and fear as his friend rocked him. ‘This is my home Wayne’ he sobbed, 'my home.' The rocking increased and he realised, as wetness met his face, that Wayne too had begun to cry. 

 

* * *

  

Some hours later the circus of people visiting him had slowed to a trickle. His agent was next door, liaising with the Flyers office about his press conference. She'd shown up visibly shaken but with a fierce plan of action she'd told him he could wait to hear. He was grateful to her for that. Some of the lower Flyers management had dropped by to see him in person and get rid of their guilt by telling him to his face how much they'd enjoyed working with him. They scurried from his house as soon as they could. He didn't blame them. He was as gracious as he could be but ultimately the arrival of Jake and half of his team saved him as anyone who didn't regularly don the orange and white to skate with him cleared out to leave the Captain alone with his team.

 

Ex Captain alone with his former team. 

 

 _I thought I'd retire here_ was on the tip of his tongue, rocketing around his mind along with a thousand other thoughts that had started to awaken now that the shock had worn off. He almost missed the shock as the dawning realisation of what had occurred was making him sick as a million feelings filled his being. 

 

Wayne was running through all the types of artisan cheeses you could buy in Montreal but he faltered as Claude began to shake. 

 

'Maybe we could send Jake in your stead?' Shayne piped up, 'if we shave him they'll be confused for at least a week.' Neuvirth's hand was squeezing Claude's knee in comfort and tightened briefly. There was a moment of tension before Claude choked a short laugh which let the rest of the team bow back into shape. There were a few wry chuckles. Jake began to detail the reasons that would never work, a list that mostly consisted of short jokes at Claude's expense and skill difference at his own. His heart felt heavy in his chest at every shoulder squeeze, hug or beer offer. There was so much love and sorrow in the room all at once and it was killing him. 

 

Claude closed his eyes momentarily - if he saw another hopeful face he'd cry again. 

 

‘Fuck’ Wayne exclaimed staring at his phone. Claude opened his eyes wearily to focus on his friend. Wayne looked stricken. ‘G…’ he held out the phone to Claude so he could read the NHL update. His own phone was drained of battery following a call with his parents that broke him almost more than the subsequent emotional arrival of the team and what felt like a thousand friends and Flyers fans telling him how'd much they'd miss him. His tired eyes took a moment to focus on the text.

  
**_Pittsburgh Penguins have traded Captain Sidney Crosby to the Montreal Canadiens._ **


	2. The Write-Up

Pundit 1: Gee whiz Paul what a week, what a week.

Pundit 2: You can say that again

Pundit 1: I will Paul WHAT A WEEK! If you haven’t heard...and if you haven’t where the heck have you been? This week saw the Montreal Canadiens trade away a bunch of their picks to acquire not one, but two NHL Captains, long time rivals Claude Giroux and Sidney Crosby!

Pundit 2: Man I’d have loved to be in _that_ board-room I’d like that negotiator to have met my wife’s divorce lawyer.

Pundit 1: In NHL history, nay in Sporting history folks this is something that’s never been done before! A team acquiring TWO Captains and then giving neither of them a letter on their jersey.

Pundit 2: What I’m most interested to see is how these two respected Captains transition back into being regular players on this new team. Captain Galchenyuk is new to the post this season and he’s already going to have his hands full with the Habs being in the state they are and now with these two added to the roster...I don’t envy the guy.

Pundit 1: [laughs] I mean I’m most interested in seeing how they cope with being on the same team after all these years of Flyers & Penguins rivalry. If he hadn’t left to the KHL maybe Montreal would’ve gunned for Ovechkin to round out the trio.

Pundit 2: What a first line that would be! I have to disagree with you on that first point though bud - looking at the number of medals Giroux and Crosby have accumulated working together at this stage I think we’ve got nothing to worry about in terms of their on ice chemistry.

Pundit 1: You’re not wrong Paul.

Pundit 2: And after all [laughs] looking at some of those pictures from Worlds a few years back it’s safe to say they get on at least a bit off the ice too.

Pundit 1: Paul is of course referring to the pictures of Team Canada in 2018 where Giroux lays a smacker on Crosby’s cheek for his overtime Golden Goal.

Pundit 2: Anything for Canada Brad, anything for Canada.

 

* * *

 

 **@Penguins:** Oh Captain my captain! Thank you for all the years Sid!

 

 **@PensInsideScoop:** devastated locker room - never seen so many sad faces

 **@PensInsideScoop** : I’ve not seen an arena this sad since MAF was traded to Calgary

 **@PensInsideScoop** : Oh we reminded ourselves of that and now it’s doubly sad! :(

 

 **@BlueJacketsNHL** : remember when you were mad we traded RyJo… [eyes emoji] @penguins @NHLFlyers

 **@Penguins** : **@BlueJacketsNHL** too soon pal

 **@BlueJacketsNHL: @Penguins** hey at least your logo’s already crying

 

 **@8771trash:** NO OMG FUCK NO

 **@bettmanssoul: @8771trash** I’M LITERALLY CRYING

 **@8771trash: @bettmanssoul** I 

 

 **@NHLFlyers:** after 13 years with us @28CGiroux is to join @CanadiensMTL. Take good care of him!

  

 **@ghostandbearit** : CLAUDE NEVER WON A CUP WITH THE FLYERS

 **@GBaby28: @ghostandbearit** don’t fucking do this to me right now it’s too much :((((

 

 **@BlaineStekman:** how much do you reckon Crysby bawled over this shit? :’)

 **@bettmanssoul: @BlaineStekman** he earned more crying than you will in your entire life.

 

 **@philadelphiars:** soooooooo Cheesby?

 **@shearyforcaptain: @philadelphiars** it’s too soon for shipping dude

 **@ghostandbeartit: @shearyforcaptain @philadelphiars** and yet your handle????

 

 **@jachobe: @28CGiroux**  wishing you all the luck up North! You looked bad in orange anyway <3

  
  
**@** **CanadiensMTL** Bienvenue dans l'équipe Sidney Crosby  & **@28CGiroux**!

 

 **@AGally94:** so pleased to welcome to the team **@28CGiroux** & Sid!

 

 **@Latta17** : welcome to the team boys!!! **@28CGiroux**!!! #notsharingthethirdline

 

* * *

 

** What you missed on the ice this week **

 

It will come as no surprise dear readers that the focus of this week’s article and probably the focus of the next few months will be on the recent trade of Sidney Crosby and Claude Giroux to the Montreal Canadiens.

First a quick look at the numbers before we get into the enwui, nuance and God-why-Bettman-why? Montreal have managed pulled off an incredible trade fairly inexpensively. Whoever the brains behind those deals were please have them speak to my accountant immediately! Heck get me their shared agent's accountant! Due to recent injuries and a downturn in their production both Crosby and Giroux have been signed to lower salaries than they were earning on their original teams. That by no means indicates that the Habs are shortchanging them - while the details of their pay hasn’t been made clear we do know they’ll both still be on over $7,500,000 each, on 5 year contracts. So yes this is at the outset an expensive trade for the Habs - acquiring two, objectively Elite, Veteran players to balance out their relatively young team. But it is an expense they are clearly convinced will pay off given the length of those contracts.

It’s made possible by Montreal’s ruthless cleaning house of their long-standing roster in the last few years. Pacioretty’s retirement at the beginning of the 2020/21 Season made Alexander Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher the two longest serving Habs in recent years what with other roster stalwarts Price being in Florida and Subban taking the A with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the middle of the 2019/20 season.

Montreal have had a bad decade due to a myriad of reasons that I’ve covered multiple times over the years. They’ve only made the playoffs 3 times in the last 10 runs and their Cup dry streak extends from 1993.

TLDR: poor coaching and bad luck.

This trade gives Montreal not one but two Elite Veterans to balance out a team inundated with a number of undeveloped high picks. While Crosby and Giroux are not the players they once were, and frankly no team would’ve been able to get either of them if they were still at that level, they bring to the team over a decade of excellent leadership and knowledge. With this trade Montreal gets a solid second line and two future Hall of Famers in the locker room. Everyone is intrigued to see how they’ll play together, citing a rivalry that according to both men is long dead. These men have won medals, mostly Golds, at Worlds and Olympics together so it’s a safe bet they’ll be more than ok. There’s no denying that Crosby and Giroux are still better forwards than 75% of the current League and that combined with Galchenyuk, who has just won the Rocket Richard for the first time in his career, and the surprisingly productive Michael Latta means the Habs could be fully facilitated to rebuild.

You may have missed Michael Latta, at the time I wouldn’t blame you, he was a reliable but rarely utilised 4th liner for the Capitals and was traded to San Jose following the Capitals 2019 Cup win - overshadowed massively by Backstrom’s trade to Detroit the same day. After a year with the Sharks where he centered their 4th line Montreal quietly offer-sheeted him and he quietly accepted sliding onto their Third Line where he’s played, except for a few games on the 4th, ever since. Since leaving the Capitals he has had 20 goal seasons more often than not and broke 30 last year with Montreal.

I know...I’ve used 4 lines in an article covering the most famous trade in Hockey history to discuss an initially very cheap bottom sixer - but I feel it’s important for people to realise how much this trade has been planned by Montreal and what it means for them going forward.

We then have to look at the other side of this trade, this numerically fair but arguably the most controversial trade since Gretzky and definitely the most shocking trade, at all let alone of a Captain, since Landeskog back in 2020. It’s yet another point on the comparison tree for Crosby and Gretzky that neither of them wanted their surprise trades. Although it has to be said in Crosby and Giroux’s defences - their Press Conferences following their trades were undoubtedly rife with emotion but they held it together a lot better than Landeskog did at his.

Watch former Colorado Captain Gabriel Landeskog break down in tears during Exit Press Conference 

Looking at the history of what Crosby and Giroux have individually given their teams you have to ask even with the downturn in production...why trade them?

On the Philadelphia Flyers Giroux had been the top goal scorer on his team every year until that concussion in 2019 that sidelined him for more than half the regular season. The Flyers haven’t made the playoffs since 2018 which - according to inside sources - seems to have been the beginning of the end for Giroux’s Captaincy. All that and along with the dragging nature of their rebuild which seems to have hit Oilers levels of stagnation at times in the recent years it seems that Head Office wanted some Cap space and young legs to move their team along. I am of course talking Oilers pre-Taylor Hall’s Captaincy in 2017 and the beginning of the Oilers current playoffs making streak.

Back in Philly the new Captain has been confirmed and so Wayne Simmonds joins the select club with Iginla, Graham and Kopitar in becoming the fourth non-white Captain of an NHL team. Sources say that Giroux was pleased at the choice even joking that they could’ve just chosen Voracek and no one would have noticed Claude was gone. Gallows humour or not it’s good to see a Captain part with his team on positive terms.  

Crosby has won the Stanley Cup twice and until 2019, taken the Penguins to the playoffs every year he’s been Captain. Every year he’s in the top 10 point scorers 2 years ago he almost beat Dylan Strome, Arizona Coyotes, to the Hart. Despite this however there’s no hiding the fact that the Penguins haven’t made the playoffs in a few years and the last time they did they were swept in the first round. There’s also no hiding the fact that, at 32 years of age, Crosby is not getting any younger and has accumulated more injuries than most during his years playing NHL Hockey.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, like Montreal, have been shedding their old guard in the past few years. With Chris Kunitz’s retirement, the trades of Marc-Andre Fleury and Kris Letang; Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin remained the two original members of the team from their first cup win. Due to the maturing of their younger talent it makes sense for Pittsburgh to transition their team into a new age and what better way to indicate that than to trade its figurehead so a new one can be made. Rumours as to who of the three As; Malkin, Hornqvist and Sheary will take the C come the new season are rife but to me there is a clear winner and he’s not over 30 with bad knees and half an eye on the KHL. Pittsburgh have made a revolutionary trade for their sports history but one that is fundamentally business minded and tactical.

I finish this article with the same attitude of the three teams it involves - a staunch look at the future. I am, for the first time in a while, exited for Montreal hockey and I hope you are too.

* * *

 

 **@28CGiroux:** As a team and city you guys have been amazing, I have loved being your Captain.  <3

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was largely exposition but as this takes place almost 6 years from now I wanted and had to shake a few things up. It's reasonably important to remember that very few of the teams as we know them now will be in the same format due to trades & retirement for example the Oilers and Leafs are Playoff making Powerhouses and Carolina is due to tip Nashville as 'The Defensive' team in the League.


End file.
